Abstract
The head runner of a rubber extruder is important for controlling rubber flow and improving extrudate quality. To clarify the effect of the structure parameters of the head runner of a doubleplex tread extruder on extrudate quality and obtain high-quality rubber extrusions, a finite element model of the down head runner was established. The extrusion process was analyzed through numerical simulations, wherein the Bird–Carreau constitutive equation and Navier slip law were used along with some computational methods, such as quadratic interpolation of velocity and linear interpolation of pressure and viscosity. The Newton iteration algorithm was used for numerical calculations. The mean-square deviation of velocity (SDV) of rubber flow in the outlet cross section was selected as the evaluation objective. A Placket–Burman design was used to select three key factors—angles A and B and outlet width D—from among eight runner structure parameters affecting the velocity variance. By using central composite design (CCD), the quadratic response surface model using the three key factors was established, and the influence law of a combination of the three key factors on SDV was obtained. The response surface model was optimized using the simulated annealing (SA) algorithm, and the optimal key factors of the head runner were obtained. The optimal runner design realizes a more uniform velocity distribution in the outlet cross section. Furthermore, a comparison of the simulated flow velocities of the original and optimal head runners at different inlet flow ratios and temperatures indicates that the optimal head runner flow velocity improves the extrusion quality. Thus, an optimal runner with optimal key factors was manufactured. Test results of the rubber flow state indicated that the flow is regular and that warping disappears. The proposed optimization strategy can be used practically for improving the head runner design, shortening the product development cycle, and reducing the production cost.
Highlights
Tires are a core component of automobiles that affect automotive performance
The present study focuses on the down head runner structure of a doubleplex tread extruder
The mean-square deviation of velocity (SDV) of rubber flow in the outlet cross section of the runner is used as the evaluation index, and the key design parameters of the head runner and choke block structure are obtained using the Plackett–Burman (PB) design method
Summary
Tires are a core component of automobiles that affect automotive performance. the “Made in China 2025” plan classified automobile industry as one of the top ten “strongly pushed development of key breakthroughs in the field.” The China Rubber Industry Association has targeted developments in tire manufacturing technology under China’s 13th Five-Year Plan. Dooley and Hilton studied the influence of runner geometry on the extrusion quality to reduce the effect of International Journal of Polymer Science viscosity on the thickness of the extruded layer and found that different runner structures caused velocity rearrangement at the interface, resulting in polymer coextrusion producing layers of uneven thickness [6]. Elgeti et al used a numerical method to identify the geometric factors affecting the product quality by controlling various parameters to obtain an optimum head runner structure [8]. The mean-square deviation of velocity (SDV) of rubber flow in the outlet cross section of the runner is used as the evaluation index, and the key design parameters of the head runner and choke block structure are obtained using the Plackett–Burman (PB) design method. The test results of the rubber flow state indicated that the flow is regular and that warping disappears
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